Thirteen Horses, One Client — A Journey in Paint
I love all animals, but horses will always have a special place in my heart. The same goes for painting them.
Growing up, I was your typical horse-crazy girl. I drew horses on everything and read every horse-related book in our elementary school. My teacher gave me a special spot on the classroom wall to post my horse drawings, as long as my schoolwork was done. So it’s probably no surprise that I ended up with horses later in life — and that I now find so much joy in painting them.
The 13 horses all started when I offered to paint a memorial portrait for a friend’s daughter. I had enjoyed the stories my friend shared of her daughter and her horse. I was heartbroken when I learned Cosset had passed and was moved to paint a memorial portrait.
Not long after painting Cosset, my friend asked if I’d be up for a few commissions — holiday gifts for her clients. We were about to have a large remodel started in our home and I didn’t know if I could handle the timeline since our entire living area would shrink down to two rooms. I said yes and added an extra painting as a gift to her.
As I neared completion of those first few paintings, she asked if I could paint a few more. One more here, two there, they kept coming — until I had completed ten paintings of horses. I handed the 10 completed paintings to her shortly before Christmas.
The latest painting I created for her was a memorial for a friend’s horse who had passed away. I was happy to pull out my paints and complete the 13th horse painting for her. I look forward to continuing our partnership with more paintings in the future.
Over the next several months, I’ll be sharing a closer look at each painting. I might also take a break from horses to share progress on other artwork.
Below each image, you’ll see either “Coming Soon”—meaning the full post isn’t live yet—or “Full Story Here”, which links to the complete post. You can also find all these updates by clicking on the “13horses” label.
Meet the Horses
Cosset
The one who started it all.
Coming Soon
The Foals
A surprise gift — two babies captured together in one frame.
Coming Soon
Ellie
Mane full of hay and bedding.
Coming Soon
Nova
A quiet presence with a white star tucked under her mane.
Coming Soon
Smoke
Dark horse with gentle eyes.
Coming Soon
Franklin
Gorgeous and sassy.
Calypso
Black pinto beauty.
Coming Soon
Riker
Relaxed and sprawled in the sun.
Coming Soon
Punky
A sorrel mini with a big attitude.
Coming Soon
Pinto Bean
Bright blue eyes, soft expression.
Zeus
An Appaloosa with a story behind every spot.
Coming Soon
Krissy
Head high, ready for her close-up.
Coming Soon
Glacier
A final tribute for a beloved horse.
Interested in a Portrait of Your Own?
If you have a beloved animal—or one you want to cherish forever—I’d be honored to create a custom portrait just for you.
For more details, check out these pages on my blog:
- Commission Information
- How to Pick a Great Reference Photo
- Find My Products
More stories are coming soon—follow along to see each painting and meet the horses who inspired them.
Series update: This is a long-term project sharing all the stories here. I plan to share an average of one 13-Horses Series post per month, with the goal of completing the series by summer 2026. I’m excited to share this journey with you every step of the way.
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